Waiver of vehicle duty for Foreign Service Officers

Cabinet has approved a waiver of import duty on vehicles for foreign service officers and Ghanaian international civil servants (GICS).

The issue has been a matter of considerable interest to foreign service officers and GICSs (that is, Ghanaians working with the UN, etc).

A government official told the Daily Graphic after a hectic Cabinet meeting Monday that the GICSs had been agitating for the waiver because a percentage of their salaries went directly to the government.

According to the source, in order for the system not to be abused, certain conditions had been put in place. For instance, it was decided that the waiver would be limited to only one vehicle at any given time.

It said the engine capacity of the vehicle should not exceed 3.0cc and that the waiver would be enjoyed once in four years (which is the average period a foreign service officer serves).

It further said the vehicle could not be sold before it was three years old in Ghana. That is to say that it is three years after the date of registration that the vehicle can change ownership.

“The decision taken by Cabinet is most certainly going to be a great source of joy to Ghana’s foreign service officers, as well as GICSs,” the source said.

Source: Daily Graphic